Patentable/Patents/US-9851793
US-9851793

Virtual reality system including social graph

PublishedDecember 26, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

The disclosure includes a system and method for receiving viewing data that describes a location of a first user's gaze while viewing virtual reality content. The method also determining an object of interest in the virtual reality content based on the location of the first user's gaze. The method also includes generating a social network that includes the first user as a member of the social network. The method also includes performing an action in the social network related to the object of interest.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A method comprising: receiving viewing data that describes a location of a first user's gaze while viewing virtual reality content; determining an object of interest to a first user in the virtual reality content based on the location of the first user's gaze; performing an action in a social network related to the object of interest, wherein the action includes preventing disclosure of at least one of private and embarrassing information by: determining a category associated with the object of interest; comparing the category to a list of user-approved subject matter to determine whether the category is in the list, wherein the list of user-approved subject matter is subject matter that is not sensitive to the user, and responsive to the category being in the list, automatically generating a social network update that describes an interaction of the first user with the virtual reality content based on the viewing data.

2

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action in the social network further includes: identifying one or more second users in the social network that are associated with the object of interest; and suggesting a connection between the first user and the one or more second users in the social network.

3

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action in the social network further includes comprises: identifying one or more second users in the social network that are associated with the object of interest; and inviting the one or more second users to join the first user in interacting with the virtual reality content.

4

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action in the social network further comprises: providing the social network update to one or more second users that are connected to the first user via a social graph.

5

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action in the social network further comprises: determining one or more advertisements that correspond to the category; providing the one or more advertisements as part of the virtual reality content; and updating a user profile associated with the first user to include information about at least one of the category and the one or more advertisements.

6

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising storing information in a social graph about the first user's gaze at advertisements displayed as part of the virtual reality content.

7

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action in the social network further comprises: suggesting a group associated with the social network based on the category.

8

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting instructions to physical hardware to vibrate to provide physical stimulation.

9

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the object of interest is based on a heat map that measures the first user's gaze at different locations in the virtual reality content and illustrates the first user's gaze with different colors based on a length of time the first user spent looking at the different locations.

10

10. A method comprising: determining locations of user gaze within virtual reality content; generating a heat map that includes different colors based on a number of user gazes for each location; and automatically providing a first user that is viewing the virtual reality content with a recommendation to look at one or more of the locations in the virtual reality content based on the heat map, wherein the recommendation includes an audio cue and a visual cue.

11

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating a playlist of virtual reality experiences based on most user views of virtual reality content.

12

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating a playlist of virtual reality experiences based on a geographical location.

13

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating a playlist of virtual reality experiences, wherein the playlist is generated by a second user that is an expert in subject matter that is in the virtual reality content and the playlist is based on the subject matter.

14

14. A method comprising: receiving viewing data that includes a location of a user's gaze while viewing virtual reality content; determining the location of the user's gaze; determining a category associated with an object of interest that is within the location of the user's gaze; determining one or more first advertisements that correspond to the category; generating graphics for displaying at least one of a bottom portion that is located below feet of the user and a top portion is located above a head of the user in a three-dimensional world of the virtual reality content; and providing the one or more first advertisements to display in at least one of the bottom portion and the top portion of the three-dimensional world.

15

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: receiving a social network profile for the user that includes one or more user interests; wherein determining the one or more first advertisements is further based on the one or more user interests.

16

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: analyzing the virtual reality content to identify a stitching aberration in the virtual reality content; incorporating a second advertisement into the virtual reality content such that the stitching aberration is not visible; and providing the virtual reality content with the second advertisement to the user.

17

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: determining a cost for displaying one or more second advertisements based on a location of the one or more second advertisements in the virtual reality content and the category associated with the one or more second advertisements; and suggesting a second advertisement from the one or more second advertisements based on the cost for displaying each of the one or more second advertisements.

18

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the cost for displaying each of the one or more first advertisements is further based on a length of time that the user gazes at the location.

19

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: providing a graphical object as part of the virtual reality content that is linked to a second advertisement; receiving a selection of the second advertisement from the user, and generating a pop-up window in the virtual reality content or providing access to a third-party website.

20

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: determining locations of user gaze of the virtual reality content; generating a heat map that determines different areas of interest based on a number of user gazes for each location; and determining a fee for displaying the second advertisement in each area of interest associated with the heat map.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

May 4, 2016

Publication Date

December 26, 2017

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Cite as: Patentable. “Virtual reality system including social graph” (US-9851793). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9851793

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